Night Terrors
by Mike Taurguss
Summary: GTAS8. An early winter has descended on the quiet village of Poditea, and with it, the village finds itself besieged by a terrifying new foe. Can David and Gabrielle save the day before starvation sets in?
1. Chapter 1

**The Siege**

Gray frost covered the land, reflecting silver in the clear moonlight. The entire land seemed to slumber. The wind howled through the deserted streets and outlying farms of Poditea. The entire village slumbered, except of the few town guards, unfortunate enough to have duty during the small hours. They stood in small clits, huddled near burning braziers, trying desperately to fend off the chill, many of them rubbing their hands near the comforting flames, or pulling their thick cloaks tighter about their bodies. They spoke little, their eyes always drifting outward over the silvery landscape, watching for anything out of the ordinary. The chill of winter had come sooner than any of them had anticipated. The nearby river was already covered by a thin coat of ice, and steam wafted up from within the wells placed sporadically throughout the town and outlying homesteads.

While those consigned to watch over the towns sleeping populace dealt with the biting chill, many of the residents themselves slept in relative comfort, most of them better than they had in previous years. As they maintained their comfort without the necessity of burning copious amounts of firewood as they had in the past, they each silently thanked the family that lived in the sturdy log house on the outskirts of the village.

That home was part of a small farmstead. It consisted of a simple barn, small vegetable field, and the large, sturdy log cabin, placed around a single large raised wooden platform. That platform had been the old foundation of the previous home, but had been refit the year prior to serve as a wedding pavilion for two of the towns most unique and yet beloved residents. Whenever the people in town discussed the "Forester House", they did so with a sense of civic pride.

That night, the home and the barn were shut tight against the coming chill, and the field was cut flat, its harvest gathered well before the frost. Smoke rolled lazily out of the two stone chimneys at either end of the rear wall, and the soft orange glow of the fires within could be seen, shining gently through the tiny gaps in the drawn and bolted shutters.

The logs that made up the walls of the home were actual logs, most nearly two feet thick, and joined at the corners by interlocking cuts, similar to a child's Lincoln Logs play set, which was, in fact, where the builder had gotten his inspiration. Between the logs was a layer of black pitch, which sealed off any gaps between them, and created an effective water barrier between the outside world and those who dwelled within. A sloping, slatted roof rose gently to a point at the center of the building, covered in rough shingles instead of the usual thatch and mud mixture. This was an innovation that several of the more affluent in the village had already copied after learning how effective the style was at keeping out the most persistent of summer rains.

Compared to the basic structures in Poditea, this single log edifice was a wondrous modern marvel. It was even rumored that the occupants enjoyed the comfort and luxury of interior plumbing, something only found in Athens or Rome.

Tonight, within that home, three people slept contentedly.

Slowly, Gabrielle opened her eyes and rolled over, seeing the empty place at her side where her husband David should have been. Instead, the blankets were folded over and his place was empty. She glanced over at the small metal heater and saw the still glowing embers within. The heat radiated from it comfortable and the soft scent of burning pine gave the room a comfortable feel. Frowning sleepily, Gabrielle got slowly to her feet, wrapping a thick blanket about her. She noted the empty bassinet next to the bed as she padded into the main living room, trying to ignore the stiffness in her joints and stopped short when she reached the end of the narrow hall. From that room, the gentle strains of a guitar could be heard playing over the crackle of the flames. It strummed soft and slow, like a lullaby, adding to the cozy atmosphere of the room.

A smile crept across her face as she looked to the large sofa, resting next to the hearth. Within the hearth, a fire still burned merrily, as if someone had only recently added more fuel to the flames. On the sofa, lying upon the simple cushions was her husband, wrapped in a blanket and cradling another, much smaller shape upon his chest.

She tip toed to the side of the couch and knelt down, and almost laughed out loud at the sight.

There, lying with her tiny thumb planted firmly in her little mouth was her daughter, Xena. Her eyes were closed and she breathed softly, her head lying right over her father's heart. He lay, breathing softly, his face turned towards the back of the couch, one arm wrapped protectively over his daughter, the other draped over his head.

Gently, Gabrielle reached out and placed her hand on little Xena's head. The child stirred contentedly, her eyes opening for just a moment, just making sure that the contact had not been a figment of her dreams, and the blue eyes closed again as she let out a deep sigh. Well, as deep a contented sigh as an infant can make.

Gabrielle looked and saw the tiny music player that David had brought back with him, the small screen shone green in the orange light of the room. Upon it, the tiny black crystal letters spelled out 'Fireside Blues – Repeat'. When she looked back down at the two figures before her, she found his dark eyes looking back at her. He smiled.

"She woke up a couple of hours ago," David whispered quietly. "We didn't want to wake you."

"You're going to turn her into a daddy's girl, you know that?" Gabrielle smiled.

"Absolutely," David grinned sleepily.

Gently, Gabrielle lifted the slumbering infant to her chest. Xena gave several small, noises before settling back into innocent dreams.

"Come back to bed," Gabrielle said. She carried the baby back into the room and laid her back down in the wooden bassinet, making sure she was comfortably tucked into the blankets, while David grabbed a rag and pulled the small door open on the steel heater. He added several more, smaller logs to the glowing embers and resealed the panel. After a few minutes, the soft flames came back to life and the warmth began to fill the room again.

They climbed back beneath the blankets and Gabrielle snuggled up on David's shoulder.

"You don't always have to get up when she does," Gabrielle said, smiling.

"Sure I do," David replied, looking over at the bassinet. "How else am I going to get her on my side?"

Gabrielle also glanced over at the tiny sleeping form and smiled. "I still can't believe it."

"Which part?" David chuckled.

"That we have a family, for one," Gabrielle sighed. "And that she's actually Xena, reincarnated. I mean, I knew we would be together again, someday. I just can't believe I'm going to raise her?"

"You sure it's her?" David asked.

Gabrielle nodded. "I saw her eyes when I came in and found you two." She sighed. "I'd know that look anywhere."

"What look?" David asked, looking down at her.

"The 'why are you bugging me in the middle of the night' look," Gabrielle laughed. "I used to get that all the time, when I'd be looking up at the stars and talking to her. Especially when she wanted to sleep."

She was silent for a moment. "I wonder how much she actually remembers?"

David shook his head. "I don't know." He smiled ruefully. "But if she ever gets her hands on the chakram, hanging in the living room, I'm sure we'll find out."

She laughed and kissed his cheek.

David grinned. "We did good."

Gabrielle smiled. "I think so." Then she raised herself up on her elbows and looked at him seductively. "Wanna do it again?"

David chuckled softly. "We might wake her up again?"

Gabrielle sank down towards him. "We'll be quiet."

After three long months of dealing with a bout of post-partum depression, and a complete lack of physical attention while she healed, David didn't bother to try and dissuade her. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway.

The next morning, the chill refused, for the most part, to dissipate. David rose early, as was his custom, and did a quick check of the barn and surrounding area. Everything looked undisturbed.

When he came back into the house, Gabrielle was emerging from the bedroom with the baby in her arms.

"How you doing?" David asked.

Gabrielle smiled. "She's hungry."

She seated herself on the sofa and began nursing the baby.

"I can see that,' David nodded, smiling. "How are you doing? After all, we were a bit out of practice last night?"

Gabrielle smiled. "I'm fine. You going into town?"

David nodded. "Yeah, I want to see if that shipment of lumber made it in. If I can catch the wagon before it unloads, then, maybe, I can have him deliver it here. It'll save me from borrowing Beltanus's wagon again."

Gabrielle nodded as David grabbed his coin purse and bag. "You want me to pick up anything?" He asked.

Gabrielle considered for a moment and shook her head. "No, I think we've got everything we need. Still pretty cold out?"

David nodded. "I think we're in for an early winter. It's got to be close to freezing, and it can't be much past the beginning of October?"

He did a quick check to ensure that there was enough firewood in the house, then kissed her dutifully and departed.

He noted the gentle silvery sheen covering the vegetation as he walked. The air had a frosty bite that tingled on his nose. All the usual summer smells seemed subdued. He sighed and watched his breath expand in a thin white veil from his mouth and nose.

He would need to check the vegetable garden when he got back. Hopefully he could salvage some of the food they were growing to carry them through winter, otherwise he would have to rely on the stored supplies, which consisted mainly of venison.

He was going through his mental inventory as he passed into the Eastern gates of Poditea proper, satisfying himself that there would be enough stocked grain for the animals, and themselves. His thoughts were interrupted when he approached the main trading house in town. Normally, there would be a small crowd of local merchants there to claim their wares. Today, however, the large, squarish building had a larger than usual crowd gathered in front of the big double doors.

A quick scan of the people and he spied his new brother-in-law, Beltanus, the local innkeeper, standing near the back of the crowd. His expression was dark, and his arms were folded across his chest.

"Morning, Bill," David greeted as he stepped up next to the elder man. "What's all the fuss?"

Beltanus gave a little grunt of disapproval. "Delivery didn't arrive yet."

"That's unusual," David replied. "Old Aiden's been doing the run between here and Corinth forever. He has it down to a science?"

Beltanus nodded. "I got four casks of beer on that load. I don't get it and it'll be water only at my place?"

"Has Palos said anything yet?" David asked, gesturing to the closed doors. Palos was the man who owned the warehouse. He had a reputation of being honest in his dealings, almost to a fault. For him to have his doors locked on a day when he should be conducting business was a sure sign of trouble. It was also completely unheard of.

"Been locked up in the warehouse since early morning," Beltanus said. "I heard a rumor that one of Aiden's helpers made it into town early this morning, but I didn't get the details."

"How many wagons?" David asked.

Again, Beltanus shrugged. "The orders before winter can be larger than the rest of the year, merchant's stocking up on raw materials, kind of like you?" Beltanus offered David a wry smile. He shrugged again. "Three or four wagons, probably?"

Beltanus leaned a bit closer. "Rumor is robbers."

David smiled. "You know what I think of rumors, Bill."

Beltanus shook his head. "Just my thought, that's all."

"Well," David looked sidelong at the innkeeper. "Let's keep the thoughts to ourselves until we know for sure. No sense in causing a bigger issue."

After a few long moments, the portly shape of Palos edged out from between the two massive doors. His expression was one of consternation and his hands wrung nervously as he face the crowd.

"I'm sorry to say," he announced nervously. "That we believe the caravan bound for us has been struck by robbers."

A chorus of groans rolled forward as the people all looked up or down angrily.

Palos raised his hands. "Of course, everyone who prepaid for their goods will, of course, have their money refunded."

That statement alleviated some of the anger, but not all of it.

"I have also dispatched a courier to Corinth, requesting that the goods be replaced, however, it could be several weeks before they arrive in port, and by then, the transport might be more difficult, since we will be in the first part of the winter season."

Again, more groans.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Palos said sincerely. "Of course, I do have some limited stock available here, and I will make that available as I may, but?" He held his hands out helplessly. "We all know that I won't be able to meet all your orders."

"Told you it was robbers," Beltanus said smugly, though he was as disappointed as the others.

David waived his brother in law of and cupped his hand to the side of his mouth.

"How did you find out about it?" he called over the chorus of groans. That brought an immediate and expectant silence to the crowd. Eyes turned to look at David and then back at Palos.

"One of Aiden's associates arrived this morning. He's currently receiving medical attention from Mistress Godea. AT the moment, all I know for certain is that the wagons were waylaid by robbers. The where and when, I cannot say?"

"I thought a group of village soldiers was supposed to meet the wagons on the way here?" Another voice called from the crowd. David saw the tall, rail thin figure of Garson, the Miller, his thin hands planted firmly on his hips.

Palos shifted uneasily. "That is another matter that I will be taking up with the Village Guard today?" He looked at the people and sighed. "I'm sorry, everyone. I simply don't have any answers for you. As soon as I learn something, I will do my best to let you all know. In the mean time?" Again, he shrugged.

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, except for several of the more prominent vendors.

David tapped Beltanus on the shoulder.

"He's holding something back," He said knowingly. "Let's see what more we can get from him in private?"

"Fine by me," Beltanus agreed. "Don't have anything else to do at the moment."

David and Beltanus edged closer as the majority of the crowd departed.

David clasped forearms with the miller. "Let me guess? Corn or wheat?"

Garson laughed. "Both, this time." He sighed. "Granted, getting my money back is a good gesture, but I can't eat silver?"

David shrugged. "Well, worst case scenario I got a fair amount of venison stashed for the winter? It might get old before the rest of our stuff arrives, but it'll be better than nothing?"

Garson smiled. "I appreciate it, David. But I'd rather get my stuff together. You can't feed the whole village, you know?"

Beltanus smiled. "What's the penalty for poaching, out of season?"

"At this point," David mused. "Who cares. If the village magistrate doesn't bend the rules after this, then he won't get an invite to Yule?"

The two men chuckled appreciatively.

David knocked on the big doors. One of them slowly opened, revealing a still very nervous Palos.

"Look," he said sincerely. "I told you all. I don't know any more?"

"Relax, Pal," David said with a disarming smile. "We're not here for a pound of flesh. We just thought that the four of us could put our heads together and find a way out of this mess?"

Palos looked at the three men for a moment and then pulled the door open further to allow them to enter.

It was immediately apparent that Palos was not exaggerating when he said that he had precious little stock in the warehouse.

OF the gathered corn that was exported to other places, precious few bags remained, bound for Aiden's outward trip, along with several bolts of cloth and several large crates of other finished goods.

"Well," David mused. "The crates don't have anything the village could use for the winter, unless we run short of firewood."

Palos gestured to the stocked bags of grain. "Garson. If you could take the grains to your mill and grind them down, that would give enough flour to help for the immediate future, at least?"

Garson nodded. "Mill's running a little less efficiently, with the river beginning to freeze over and all, but I might be able to keep it going for another week, or so, provided we don't get a real big freeze?"

Palos nodded. "I'll have my men load it on the wagon and deliver it this afternoon."

"I might be able to shave a bit off my stores for the sheep," David offered. "It'll mean culling two or three, but the extra mutton would be a help too?"

"Boys," Palos said, rubbing his thinning grey hair. "I appreciate what you're saying, but this still won't be enough when the real bad weather hits."

"He's right," Beltanus agreed. "We have over four hundred people in the village, many of them with families. At most, we could stretch it a little past a month. After that, things might get pretty desperate?"

"If it takes six weeks to get replacement goods from Corinth,' David said. "Then we might be cutting it fine, but we could do it?" He looked at Palos, who stood fidgeting nervously. "Right?"

"Uh," Palos said. Then he sighed. "Wait here." He disappeared into his small office and emerged carrying several rolled parchments. "You might want to have a look at these?"

They each took one and read, their expressions changing from curiosity to concern.

"Are these accurate?" Beltanus asked, looking back up from the parchment in his hand.

Palos nodded. "None of the villages within fifteen miles of here has received a single shipment. I got these messages this morning. No one has gotten a single shipment of goods and food for the last month."

"But they came out of here?" David asked, handing his scroll back to Palos. "You got a map handy?"

"M-map?" Palos asked.

"Yes, a map?" David repeated. "Preferably one that shows all the towns affected by these bandits and the trade routes that you use?"

"I think I know where he's going with this idea," a new voice said from the side entrance.

They all turned to see a man, dressed in the armor of a professional soldier as he strode purposefully into the building, several large rolls of parchment tucked under one arm. HE was a tall man, lean and sturdy, maybe only a few years older than David, with curly blonde hair and penetrating blue eyes. His rank insignia placed him in the command structure of the village guard, possibly a lieutenant. HE walked towards them, his left hand resting comfortably on the hilt of a short sword of Roman design.

"Ah, Martus," Palos breathed in relief. "Have you learned anything from the man that stumbled into the village today?"

The soldier smiled, but there was no humor in it. "A little." He nodded to the other three men. Then he turned to Palos again. "May we continue our discussion in your office?"

Palos nodded and gestured for the lieutenant to precede them. David and the other moved to follow, but the lieutenant turned back. "Forgive me, but this is to be a private meeting."

David smiled and crossed his arms. "Yes, and now it will be a slightly larger, private meeting, sir."

"I'm afraid not," Martus smiled again.

"Now just a minute!" Garson protested, but David placed a hand, gently on the miller's shoulder.

"Let me see if I can piece a few things together, here, lieutenant," David said evenly. "You're here to go over the routes that Aiden used, and see if you can narrow down any possible bases of operations, probably off the beaten path but still easily accessible. And, I presume you are here to discuss why the contingent of escorts you sent out to meet the caravan has not yet returned, or where they might have run into trouble?"

David smiled knowingly. "How am I doing so far?"

Martus sucked in a breath and fixed David with a stern stare. "And you are?"

"Sorry," David replied, stepping forward and extending his hand. "David Forester, at your service, sir." He clasped the lieutenants' forearm and then introduced Beltanus and Garson.

Martus looked at Palos suspiciously, but the portly trader merely shook his head. "I have said nothing to them, lieutenant."

"It isn't hard to figure out," David added quickly. "And the fact that you've come here in person, tells me that you also have an issue. Logic dictates that the issue must be the men from the security detail, sent to meet the caravan. Since you are here to speak with the man who coordinates these things, I can only assume that those men are also missing?"

Martus looked at David for a long moment, as if sizing him up as a potential adversary, and then he nodded. "Very astute, Master David. Yes, the patrol sent out to meet the caravan has not reported back."

David nodded. "Perhaps an untrained, non military eye might see something?"

"It can't hurt," Beltanus added quickly.

"And, in any case," Garson finished. "We aren't going anywhere?"

Martus considered for a long moment and finally relented. "Very well, follow me, please?"

The five men entered the small, tidy office and stood around Palos's simple desk.

The trader quickly cleared several papers and other items from the desk before Martus unrolled a large map of the surrounding area.

"Very well," Martus said in a professional voice. He gestured to the map and began pointing out what he already knew. "As you know, there are four major routes in this area, with Poditea as the central distribution point for several other, smaller villages in the region. The northern route is the main artery that leads in from Corinth, while the three other routes lead to the east, to a series of small fishing communities, south to a group of inland farming homesteads, and west to the quarries and lumber areas. In each of these areas, there are little or no established permanent dwellings. Each area depends on supplies from the other routes, and from Corinth in order to continue operating. Textiles, food, and building materials all pass through here in both directions on a regular basis, while most of the workers actually live in and around Poditea."

David absently rubbed at the scar over his left eye as he studied the map.

Martus sighed. "As of this morning, we have received no word from the coast, and the western and southern regions have been clamoring for supplies."

"Which were sent?" David asked.

"Just like always," Palos nodded.

"Do we know the order of the robberies?" Garson asked suddenly, eyeing the map intently.

"What difference would that make?" Palos asked.

Garson looked up at the trader with a keen glint in his eye. "Because, if the coastal settlement was the first to be hit, then we might have foreign invaders on our hands. If the inland settlements, it could be local brigands. That's why."

The miller looked at Martus and smiled. "I served with the Phelix Legions under General Meridius."

The Lieutenant nodded and pointed in quick succession.

"Quarry settlement, then the southern farms, and lastly, the Coastal group. In that order."

"And then they intercept the shipment here," Garson finished. He placed his finger on the Quarry and drew a line straight north to the lowland hills. "That means that they probably came down out of the mountains, here, did a quick circuit of the area, and finished off hitting the biggest shipment for Corinth."

"If they can keep the roads closed," Martus added. "In about a month, we'll be starving and too weak to mount a decent defense."

"While they gorge themselves on our foodstuffs, and my ale," Beltanus growled angrily.

David considered for a few more minutes before nodding. "Are you planning on sending another scouting party?"

The lieutenant nodded. "They're preparing to leave now."

"What did the survivor say about the attacks?" Garson asked.

Martus shook his head. "Nothing specific to identify them. Only that they attacked last night, and that they were very swift and very fierce."

Garson nodded again. "Hard to draw a weapon when you're huddled in a blanket against the cold," he said. "And the darkness would provide them with cover to get right next to the caravan without being seen."

David shrugged his coat off and handed it to Beltanus. "You got extra gear in the weapons store?" he asked the lieutenant.

"Yes," Martus replied, frowning. "Why?"

"Set me up with local gear," David smiled. "I'm going with them."

"Do you have any martial experience, sir?" Martus asked.

"What?" Garson replied. "Are you new here, or something?"

"What's wrong with your regular gear, David?" Beltanus asked.

"I don't want to draw attention to myself," David replied. "If we're dealing with an outside group, they might not know about me. I'd like to keep it that way." HE looked back at the lieutenant. "Well?"

"We have five volunteers to ride out on the road to Corinth and see what they might find." Martus replied.

"Then let's make it six, shall we?" David replied. He followed the lieutenant toward the door.

"Uh, David?" Beltanus called after him. "What am I supposed to tell your wife?"

David turned back and smiled. "Tell her I went on a field trip." Then he vanished through the door.

Garson smiled and looked sidelong at Beltanus. "You know why he did that, right?"

Beltanus slung the long coat over his shoulder and grumbled. "Yeah, I know. If he asked, Gabrielle would either try and talk him out of it, or drop my niece off at our place to go with him."

"She's not going to be happy," Garson patted his friend on the shoulder.

Beltanus frowned as they exited the building. "Lila and I both knew that the two of them would drive each other mad," he sighed. "I didn't expect that they would take my wife and I right along with them."

"Good luck," Garson bade, and then he went off towards his mill.

"He did what?" Gabrielle said from her seat near the fire. In her arms, Xena looked up at her mother with big, inquisitive eyes.

Beltanus folded the coat and hung it over the back of the nearest chair.

"They're just going to look about," he stammered. "See if they can find the stolen goods? HE should be back by sometime late tonight?"

Gabrielle's eyes went like frozen seawater as she sat there, stewing. Something in the expression must have seemed amusing to Xena, because she giggled suddenly.

Gabrielle smiled and tickled beneath her daughters chin.

"Yes," she said in a cute voice. "It's funny, because when he gets home, as your father likes to say – I'm going to kick the ever loving shit out of him."

Again, little Xena giggled, and Gabrielle swore for just a moment, that she saw complete recognition in the infants pale blue eyes. It was a depth of knowledge and wisdom that didn't belong in the innocent face of a child.

Gabrielle looked at her daughter for a long moment and smiled. "It really is you, isn't it?" she asked.

Again, Xena giggled and writhed happily in her mother's arms.

Gabrielle's anger melted into wonder as she looked at the tiny form in her arms, then she smiled. "Okay," she finally admitted. "I'll just hurt him a lot. You shouldn't lose your daddy too soon, right?"

Once again, little Xena squalled happily, bringing a smile to Gabrielle's face.

The six horses moved easily down the main road, the riders each scanning the surrounding land for any threatening movement. AS the sun reached the hour of about one in the afternoon, they came upon a haunting scene. The ground along and on either side of the road was stained crimson with blood – lots of blood, but no bodies could be seen. Even after the men had dismounted and done a quick search, they found nothing.

"I am definitely not liking this," David commented under his breath. They mounted again and continued down the road. In his mind, David knew that they had to be close to the caravan. Any party big enough to take the caravan and still contend with professional soldiers had to be near to the primary target.

Sure enough, less than an hour later, they saw, through the trees, the first of the four wagons, resting patiently on the road. As David surveyed the scene, he caught a flash of movement near the rear of the vehicle. He held up a hand to stop the others and then motioned for them to dismount. While one man remained behind, holding the reigns of their horses, the remaining five crept slowly through the trees towards the wagons. David drew out the bow he had borrowed from the town's weapon take, and notched an arrow to the string. The other four men did the same.

The figure moved again, vanishing behind the wagon. He was a thin, balding man in a simple oversized cream colored tunic and worn sandals.

David motioned for two of the guards to circle around the front while he and the remaining men went around the back.

The five men fanned out and came around the wagon to find the man, crouching near the wheel, wrestling with something.

"Stand fast!" One of the men shouted quickly as they surrounded him. "Don't move!" Another one added quickly.

The man froze for merely an instant before leaping to his feet and diving at the nearest soldier. That man's arrow whistled off into the trees. He grappled with the stranger and then his partner and he wrestled the man to the cold, damp ground.

The third soldier stood over the prisoner, bow tense.

"Don't move!"

David stepped up and pointed his arrow at the man's throat. "No, please," he smiled. "Try to move. Please, try to move."

The man looked at the weapons and men arrayed about him and went limp. He looked at them all with a knowing smile and an unusually penetrating, almost feral gaze.

He opened his hands in a gesture of surrender.

The two men hauled him to his feet and bound his wrists behind him with thongs.

David studied the man for a few second. His eyes were dark brown and penetrating, his face rugged and angular with a hint of stubble at the cheekbones, covering the lower half of his face. His balding head had traces of hair at the sides, the color might have been a light brown, or something darker that was going gray. He looked to be in his later thirties or early forties, though his build was that of someone younger and much more fit.

"What are you doing here?" one of the soldiers demanded. "Who are you?"

The man simply looked at him and smiled a completely nonchalant grin, tainted with barely perceptible scorn, but made no reply.

"Who are you?" The soldier demanded again. "And what are you doing here?"

Again, the man remained silent. He simply stood, looking at them as if he were burning the images of their faces in his mind.

David sighed.

He pointed at the two guards flanking the prisoner. "Keep an eye on him," he instructed. Then he put two fingers to his mouth and gave a long whistle. Instantly, the sixth man came up with the horses.

David looked back at the line of four abandoned wagons. He and the other soldiers began a quick inspection.

"We have only a short time, boys," David announced. "Check the area and get the horses hitched up. At least we'll get the wagons back to town."

The condition of the caravan was grim. Three of the four wagons were serviceable; the fourth had a broken axle and would not move without major repair. On each of the wagons, a similar story was told.

Blood spattered the sides and wheels, staining the surrounding ground. Footsteps covered the muddy earth, but did not make it more than a few feet from the sides of the wagons. Indentations and large pools of crimson, muddied earth showed where men had fallen. All of the tarps that had covered the cargo were shredded, not just cut, but rent, as if by claws, and the cargo was gone.

David frowned as he studied the surroundings, a cold knot of dread forming in his belly.

One of the other soldiers echoed his private thought.

"Sir," he asked nervously. "Where are the bodies?"

David shook his head. Then he looked back. "Hitch them up and let's get out of here. Nestis, Icarbe, drive the other two wagons. Nuris, ride with the prisoner. The rest stay on horseback. If we get ambushed, don't stick around. You ride hard for home and tell them what's happened."

David climbed onto the bloodstained seat of the lead wagon and grasped the reigns.

"Let's move out!" He ordered, and he snapped the long leather reigns gently on the horses flank. The carts lurched off back towards Poditea.

They returned to Poditea with several hours of daylight left. When the people saw the empty wagons, they groaned in resignation, but said very little.

During the entire journey, the enigmatic prisoner in the second cart had not uttered a word. Indeed, he had barely moved. He simply lay on his side, his eyes studying his watcher with intense curiosity.

Nuris, a young man of twenty years, with dark brown, curly hair and sharp blue eyes, refused to look the prisoner in the eye for more than a few seconds.

They caravan reached the headquarters for the village guard and dismounted.

Martus came out and smiled with relief to see his men back safe and sound.

"You must be good luck?" he said to David.

David smiled wryly. "I've never been accused of that before."

Two men came out and took the prisoner into the jailhouse.

Nuris stepped up to David and Martus, shifting nervously.

"Trouble?" Martus asked him.

"No, sir," Nuris replied. "Just don't ask me to guard him again for a while, if you would?"

"Why?" David asked.

"I don't know," Nuris replied. "The whole way home, he never spoke a word. He just watched me, and I felt like, I don't know, like I was being sized up for a meal?"

Martus nodded. "Take the rest of the men and get something to eat. We'll keep an eye on our guest."

"Thank you, sir," Nuris said with relief. The five men guided the horses back to the stables and then departed.

"Well?" Martus looked back at David.

David sighed. "The wagons were cleaned out when we arrived. One of them is still out there. None of the goods being transported were there. The wagons were completely cleaned out."

"Dead?" Martus continued.

David shrugged. "Whatever hit them was fast and efficient. It didn't look like anyone got more than a few feet from the wagons before they were cut down. The young man in Mistress Godea's care was a lucky one, that much is certain."

Martus nodded.

"One other little bit," David continued. "There were no bodies to be found. None of theirs or ours?"

Martus frowned. "I can understand taking the goods, and their own fallen. But why take ours?"

"I don't know," David confessed. "Though I might have an unpleasant theory?"

"I think I know what that theory would be," Martus held up his hand. "Say nothing of that just now, please?"

"No problem." David sighed and began working at the fastenings on his breastplate and belt. "If you don't mind? I need to get back home to the wife. I have a feeling I'm in for a lashing?"

"Of course," Martus replied with a faint smile. "May I call upon you again, if needed?"

David almost smiled eagerly. "Absolutely."


	2. Chapter 2

**First Carnage**

"So?" Gabrielle asked when he walked back into the house. "Where did you go?" There was something about the calm smile on his wife's face that told David he was in for trouble.

"Well," David said cautiously. "The caravan didn't arrive this morning."

"Beltanus told me," Gabrielle cut him off. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

"There wasn't any trouble," David offered.

"That's because you just walked in the door," Gabrielle countered, rising from the chair and standing before him. "Why do you have to get involved in everything that just happens to pop up?" Now her anger began to show.

David shrugged helplessly. "I just-"

"You just jump right in up to your neck, all the time!" Gabrielle cut him off. "What would happen if you didn't come home? What if something bigger than the two of us could handle had been waiting out there? What are we supposed to do?" She looked back at the tiny figure in the bassinet and then back at her husband angrily. "Xena lost her father the first time! I don't want her to have to grow up the same way again! And I don't want to grow old alone, you big lug!"

David smiled and enfolded her in a hug, despite her angry protests. That anger quickly dissipated.

"Were you trying to get back at me for that whole Gurkhan thing?" she asked angrily.

"No," David replied. "I was there, and the kids going out to find the caravan looked a little nervous. I thought my tagging along would help them stay calm and do their jobs, that's all."

He was about to say more when there was a knock on the door.

David opened the door to find Nuris standing on the stoop.

"Hey," he said, inviting the frigid soldier into the house. "What's up?"

"Good evening," Nuris said politely, acknowledging Gabrielle. His eyes took in the inside of the home appreciatively. Then his eyes snapped back to David.

"I'm sorry," he continued. "Lieutenant Martus asked if you might return and question the prisoner. He's said nothing except that he would speak only with you?"

"Well," Gabrielle replied. "At least someone will be speaking to you." She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him sternly.

David sighed and looked back at his wife. He knew he had more "damage control" to do, but they also needed information about the missing food and supplies.

"Honey," David said gently. "I promise I'll be back as quick as I can?"

She still had a look of disapproval, but there was something else in her expression now. A sense of angst permeated the room.

"Gabrielle?" David asked.

She sighed. "Just go. We'll finish this when you get back."

David took a long hooded cloak from its peg and shrugged it over his shoulders, attaching the golden clasp at his throat. The garment had been an anniversary gift to him from Gabrielle, to replace the long duster that he always wore. That old coat had gotten pretty beaten up during their travels, and needed repair. Next, David grabbed his sword belt and wrapped it about the outside of the cloak. He drew the beautiful katana half way out and checked the blade, then he faced the young soldier.

"After you?" David offered.

Nuris exited first and David turned back to look at his family again. Gabrielle looked as if she were about to jump out of her skin. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Then he vanished into the chill.

Gabrielle looked at the door for a long moment and then threw up her hands in frustration. A tiny voice drew her attention back to the bassinet and she lifted the baby into her arms and looked into the tiny face.

The pale blue eyes of the child looked at her knowingly. Finally, as if the child in her arms had spoken to her mind, she sighed.

"Yes," she admitted. "I guess I am feeling a little left out, okay? It's not like you can take care of yourself now, is it?"

Xena's lips widened into a grin and she squealed happily.

>>

David entered the jail house and looked at the first thick oak door. He moved to the side of the window and peeked in. The prisoner was still bound and lying with his head on the table, as if asleep.

Closing his eyes, David took a deep breath and calmed his mind. When he opened his eyes again, he could see the aura of energy surrounding the prisoner. It was a tight, deep band of red that seemed to hug the figure closely.

"He's anxious about something," David whispered.

"Must not be too anxious, if he can sleep?" Nuris countered.

"He's not asleep," David smiled grimly. "He's waiting." He nodded to the lock, and the second guard standing post inserted the key and pulled the door open.

David stepped into the cramped cell and seated himself on the stool across from the prisoner.

"Good afternoon," He said pleasantly. The prisoner made no move.

David smiled. "Where are the goods you stole from the caravan?"

The figure's head didn't move.

"It's evening, actually," he said, and he lifted his head and stared at David with intense brown eyes.

David smiled again at the correction. "Where are the goods that you stole?"

"It's funny, really," The man said. "When does afternoon end and evening really begin?"

"The goods?" David pressed.

"For some people, evening begins after the third or fourth hour after mid day," The man continued, undaunted. "For others, not until after the sun sets? Why is that, do you think?"

"Couldn't tell you," David replied, matching the man's intense gaze. "The supplies?"

"I think it's because some people see evening as the ending of the day," The man continued, smiling. "They want to hold onto sunlight – day time – as much as possible. Others don't really care that much? What do you think?"

"I think you're wasting my time," David replied.

"I'm sorry," The man smiled as if remembering his manners. "We haven't been introduced. I'm Locarnos." He raised his bound hands and extended them to David. "And you are?"

"Where are the supplies you looted from the caravan?" David asked relentlessly.

"Can't I even know your name?" Locarnos asked pleasantly.

"The supplies?" David pressed.

"It's such a small thing, you know?" Locarnos responded, a mildly confused look. "I just want to know who I'm talking to?"

"Someone who doesn't like their time wasted," David replied, rising to his feet. "Door!"

The cell door opened and he moved to leave.

Locarnos laughed suddenly. "You're the one called David, aren't you? The Warrior Priest?"

David paused in the doorway.

"I've heard so much about you," Locarnos continued, still chuckling. "This is good. We can talk now."

David turned back and stared down at the man before him, ragged, bound, and seemingly unconcerned about his own plight.

David shook his head and smiled ruefully. "Warrior Priest? Never heard that one before?" He commented under his breath.

He reseated himself and the cell door slammed shut again. "Satisfied?" he asked.

Locarnos nodded politely.

"Where are the supplies?" David asked again.

Locarnos seemed to consider that for a moment. "I'm not ready to tell you that, yet."

"Well, that's all I'm interested in," David countered.

"That's because you don't know the whole story," Locarnos replied easily. "There's so much more to this than the caravan. So many intricate threads to our existence."

"I'm not in a very philosophical mood right now," David replied. "The supplies?"

"Is it true that you traveled through time?" Locarnos asked knowingly. "What is that like?"

"Read Douglas Adams," David said shortly. "The supplies?"

Locarnos sighed and glanced at the tiny barred window, watching the setting sun.

"I learned about you when we went through Tripolis, a few months back," He said deliberately.

David caught his breath at the mention of that town.

"The supplies?" David asked again, this time with an unpleasant edge to his voice.

"The Amazons in that region are quite amazing," Locarnos continued relentlessly. "Their Queen was most intriguing."

At that, David exploded to his feet and slammed his fist across Locarnos's jaw as he turned back to face him. The man fell sideways from the stool and sprawled on the ground.

"See?" David said angrily. "If you don't give me something, I'm going to have to start roughing up on you! Think about that!" He nodded and the door opened.

Locarnos smiled as David stalked out. "There's something more you should know, David!" He called after him. "There's more to the story! You like stories, don't you?"

Once out in the hallway, he fought to bring his temper back in check.

Nuris followed him as he stalked outside into the chill air of early evening. He saw the sun sinking, blood red, into the hills.

"Sir?" He asked David.

"He's playing me," David said, seething. "Trying to get into my head and mess with me!"

"So, what do we do?" Nuris asked.

David thought for a moment, and then his gaze went dark. "Find Martus and ask him how far I'm allowed to go?"

"How far?" Nuris started, and then he understood the look in David's eyes. "Yes, sir." He gulped and withdrew.

David took a few more deep breaths and then reentered the building. When he stepped back into the cell, Locarnos was back on his seat, his hands folded on the table.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," he said softly.

"Oh, I'm not upset," David said, sitting down again. "Not yet. The supplies?"

"They aren't key to this discussion," Locarnos replied. "At least, not yet. There's more involved here. Much more."

"Well, they're what are important to me, right now," David countered.

"That's because I haven't told you something more important," Locarnos said easily.

There was a knock at the door and David looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"

Nuris stood behind the thick bars. "The lieutenant says – as far as you must."

David nodded and looked back at Locarnos coldly. "Now, then, I suggest you give me something?" He folded his hands on the table, opposite Locarnos and smiled. "The supplies?"

"I know where they are, yes," Locarnos said agreeably. "Is that something?"

"Not unless you tell me where?" David replied.

"Not yet," Locarnos replied.

David smiled, nodded, and then struck Locarnos again, knocking him from the chair. He stepped around the table and hauled the prisoner to his feet, slamming his forearm into Locarnos's gut.

The prisoner gasped and dropped to his knees.

David gave him a hard kick to the middle and then hauled him up again.

"See," He snarled. "This is the part where you want to give me something, since the powers that be have given me permission to mess you up as much as I want!"

"The darkness within you has become stronger, since you came here," Locarnos gasped. "Where you came from, you would never have done this, would you?"

Again, David struck the man. He bounced against the stone wall and collapsed in the corner.

"You had an inherent respect for life, once," Locarnos gasped. "Nothing deserved what you are doing. You watched the beasts in others and stood by, hoping that fate would grant you retribution in some other life. Instead, here, you have become that retribution. You've turned into what you beheld." He rolled over and looked up at David, towering over him. "You left your world and traveled into the wilderness, never realizing that you would become the beast! You believe that you fight for the greater good, when you're really just giving in to your animalistic side! You are becoming what you beheld, but clinging to the hope that you are doing right, and so, you justify your brutality!"

David's eyes widened in realization that Locarnos's assessment had been dangerously accurate. Since coming back in time, he had done things that he had never considered back home. He had done them, and not thought twice about it. Instead of an adversary, armed and fit, he was pummeling a bound and helpless prisoner!

Quickly, he turned and headed for the door, his heart thudding in his chest.

"David!" Locarnos called after him. "This place will be attacked! It will be attacked tonight!"

David turned and looked at Locarnos as he struggled to sit up against the stone wall.

"Now you give me this?" He asked. "Why?"

Locarnos smiled weakly. "Because you stopped."

David studied him closely for a moment, and a knowing smile crept over his face.

"You're lying," he concluded.

"You can't take that chance," Locarnos countered. "Protocol dictates that you have to take that to your superiors! You have to report it!"

David smiled. "What ever gave you the impression that I was part of the military?" He stepped out the door. It slammed shut behind him.

He found Lieutenant Martus in the small closet that served as his office.

"Master David," he greeted from his seat. "Has the prisoner said anything yet?"

David sighed. "He says the village could come under attack this evening."

Martus nodded, musing. "Do you believe him?"

"Honestly?" David replied. "No I don't. I think he was looking for a break, but I figured I should let you know in any case?" Again, David realized that Locarnos had correctly surmised his response to the offered information.

"Has he said anything about the missing supplies from the caravan?" Martus continued.

"Not yet," David replied. "He's pacing this thing out the way he wants to, lieutenant. I don't think he cares how much we pound on him. It's as if he wants us to?"

Again, Martus nodded, his expression, grim. "I've seen that before. Fanatical prisoners who will endure whatever punishments we dole out, merely to prolong the time it takes for us to get required intelligence."

David shook his head. "This guy doesn't strike me as a fanatic, sir. I just don't understand what he's trying to accomplish? What would be the point of attacking this quickly? The majority of us are still in good condition. We won't be in a weakened state for several weeks, at least?"

"Unless the forces arrayed against us are vastly superior?" Martus concluded.

"Then why pussy foot around by cutting off our supplies?" David countered. "If they're that big, why not just mow us down and be done with it?"

Martus smiled. "It's like a form of game." He nodded. "A cat will toy with a mouse before actually killing it." He paused for a moment. "Keep working on it. If there is a game involved here, then he'll give up the location of our supplies when he feels we are no longer in a position to do anything about it."

"And this supposed attack?" David asked.

"I'll post the watches accordingly, and we'll see what transpires." Martus replied. "Thank you, Master David."

David excused himself from the cramped office and stepped out into the deepening gloom of late evening. The sun was gone, reduced to a deep red glow behind the western hills. Everything was bathed in the cool gray of twilight.

Absently, David drew out one of his cigars and lit it in the flames of a nearby torch. He stood, contemplating how he might be better able to get the information that he needed.

His eyes settled on the moon, rising from behind the eastern horizon, large and pale.

He felt strangely calm in that pale illumination. He sighed gently as he let the silver light wash over him, as if it were cleansing his very soul.

Most people liked sunrises or sunsets, but David liked the moon. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply on the cigar.

A terrified shriek split the night, coming from the warehouse. It was followed by another cry of terror that ended with ominous abruptness. Instantly, David had his sword in his hand. He and several of the guards ran down the street to the large edifice.

The big double doors in front were bolted shut.

David and another soldier tugged on them in vain for a few moments before something impacted the door from the inside, causing it to shudder dangerously.

The two men stepped back in surprise.

"What the hell was that?" David cried.

A second blow struck the doors. Then a third. Powdered mortar fell from the edge of the entrance, and the thick wood cracked audibly.

Absently, David wondered why whoever was breaking down the door didn't just draw the bolts and open them. Then there was a final blow to the door and it shattered outward in a cloud of fragments.

A lean, dark shape vaulted into the street with a monstrous snarl. The figure was thin with coarse dark fur covering it from head to toe. Beneath the fur, David could see layers of wiry muscle.

The thing crouched for a moment and then turned its gaze on David. The eyes were brilliant yellow, and filled with mad fury. The face was elongated, like the muzzle of a dog, and the teeth were long, sharp and yellow.

"You have got to be kidding me," David muttered in awe as the creature leapt at him, mouth open as it roared.

David ducked beneath the things claws and swung his blade upward, barely missing the creature's throat.

It landed before one of David's escorts and slashed upwards with its claws.

The blow caught the unfortunate victim in the throat, ripping through the flesh clear down to the bone.

The man fell with a choked gurgle, his blood pooling around his head.

The creature reared back its head and let out a deafening, blood chilling howl before turning and leaping again at David.

This time, the silver katana bit flesh on the creature's leg and it yelped in pain and surprise.

It landed across the square, its eyes narrowed and the ears flat against the sloping head.

Two more soldiers stood between this thing and David. With a roar, it charged again. The first soldier was disemboweled by the monster's claws. He fell with a plop to the packed street. The second guard was more fortunate. He managed to get his sword in front of him as he rolled to the side. He only received a grazing blow from the thing as it barreled by, heading straight at David.

"Why me?" David thought as he stood his ground. He waited until the very last moment before he lunged forward, as close to the ground as possible, and slashed upward with all his might. In the back of his mind, he realized thatit was a suicidal maneuver. If his stroke missed, the thing would have been upon him before he could get back to his feet. Fortunately, his aim was true. The silver blade slashed up through the creature's middle, laying it open. It tumbled past him with a yelp of pain and lay quivering on the ground.

David rolled back over and got to his feet, his eyes fixed on the figure lying near him. As he watched, what he had first thought were the involuntary movements of muscles searching for signals from the brain was actually the flesh of the creature reforming into another shape. The fur vanished and the dog like muzzle shrank to more human features. The claws became fingers and toes and, once everything was done, the nude form of a slim young man, around twenty years of age lay on the street, his blood spreading like a stain around his body. His pale eyes looked up at David with an expression of complete surprise.

The soldier that had receive a grazing slash from the creature stood next to David, looking down at the body, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"What in the Gods?" he asked, cradling his wounded arm.

"Just tell me one thing," David replied. "There isn't anyone by the name of Frankenstein living around here, is there?"

"Who?" The soldier asked.

David nodded. "Good, that's one horror classic that I won't have to deal with." He looked at the bloody arm. "Get that looked at."

"Yes, sir," the soldier replied and he withdrew.

Taking a deep breath, David realized that he still had the cigar clenched in his teeth. He smiled and bit the end off again, spitting the mashedbit out. Setting the tobacco in his teeth, he stepped into the warehouse. The main room was still as before, large and nearly empty. With the exception of the broken doors, everything looked normal.

He paused, listening intently. From the direction of Palos' office, he heard the soft drip, drip, drip of something striking the stone floor.

David lifted a discarded lantern and touched the end of his cigar to the wick, blowing gently. The lamp flared to life suddenly.

Steeling himself for what might come next, David stepped to the doorway of the office and froze in horror. The stench of slaughter wafted out to meet him, causing him to gag reflexively. The portly Palos was strewn about the room in a gruesome covering of blood and body parts. The walls and ceiling were covered in crimson. What remained of his body was folded unnaturally in the corner.

Quickly he backed out of the room, his hand covering his mouth. He burned his hand on the end of the cigar and cursed aloud, letting the offending object fall to the floor.

He found what remained of Mistress Godea covering the small upstairs two room loft that served as there living quarters. As he came stumbling back down the steps, several more members of the village militia came running in. Lieutenant Martus accompanied the contingent.

"David?" Martus asked, seeing the other man's pale complexion. "Are you alright?"

David leaned heavily against the rail and took a deep breath. "I will be, in a minute."

"I saw the body in the street," Martus said evenly. "Your handy work, I presume?"

David nodded. "Though he was a lot meaner when he was alive."

"I heard the report," Martus acknowledged. "The prisoner wished to speak with you, once you were done here. He seemed most certain that you would not have been harmed in this assault?"

"Did he?" David replied. "Considering that the brute came right for me from the start?"

Martus shrugged. "He won't speak with anyone else. He says that the two of you have formed a special bond, and he will not break it by divulging information to any others, unless you are dead. If you die, he promises to tell us anything we wish to know."

"If I die, huh?" David smiled grimly. "Fine, let's see what junior wants?"

>>

Locarnos had his head down on the small table again when David stepped through the door. He looked up and actually smiled.

"So," David asked, reseating himself across from the prisoner. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Locarnos asked innocently. "I've been in here. I could see nothing. However, what I heard sounded most unpleasant?"

"It was," David replied evenly.

Locarnos had an almost eager light in his eyes. He leaned forward expectantly.

"What was the final tally?"

David smiled. "Why should I tell you? You've given me nothing so far, except some vague inference about an attack?" He leaned forward, meeting Locarnos' eager gaze with a stony one of his own. "Tell you what? You give me something, and I'll give you something? Deal?"

Locarnos sighed and sat back. "I can't do that, David," he replied pleasantly. "I cannot give you anything without you speaking first?"

"You can tell me where our supplies are?" David asked, smiling.

"Oh, I will," Locarnos countered. "But not just yet. It isn't time for you to know that."

"Well, I guess we're stuck then, aren't we?" David said, folding his arms across his chest.

"So it would seem," Locarnos replied and he laid his head back down on the table.

David looked at the prone form before him and sighed in frustration. There had to be a way to use this man's arrogance to his advantage. He contemplated his options for a moment and then sighed.

"Five dead, including the perpetrator," he admitted. "Four wounded." He finished, lying.

Locarnos's head snapped up and he grinned wolfishly. "That's better. Now I can give you something."

His eyes flicked to the small window in the oaken door, as if he were afraid someone else might over hear, and then he leaned forward. "If you take my advice, you will put down the wounded."

"Put down?" David said, not comprehending the statement at first. His eyes went wide with horror. "You mean kill, don't you?"

"Put down, kill, eliminate, dispose of," Locarnos replied. "Choose whatever words make you most comfortable, but you must do it, or what occurred tonight will be only the beginning."

"The beginning of what?" David asked.

"Of a terror that you cannot possibly imagine," Locarnos said cryptically. "The wounded will be like that man by tomorrow night. How will you contend with four of them? Always assuming that you did kill the one responsible for tonight's little diversion?" He smiled coldly. "It might very well be five?"

Realization suddenly struck David like a roundhouse punch. "You're one of them, aren't you?"

"Them?" Locarnos asked innocently.

"Like the survivor that made it to the village. You're a creature like him!"

Locarnos smiled and chuckled softly. "Well done, David. Well done. You're half right, but for the purposes of our time together, I will say yes. At the heart, I am like he."

Locarnos sat back and scratched behind his ear with his bound hands. "Did you honestly believe that man was fortunate enough to escape us? Please! He was allowed to escape, in order to set the stage for what must follow."

Suddenly, the missing goods from the caravan were the furthest thing from David's mind.

"What is to follow?" He asked almost breathlessly.

Locarnos rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands before him, as if in prayer.

"Have you ever seen a village on the brink of starvation?" He asked. His eyes were filled with some distant memory.

"The rivers freeze over, the game animals all vanish, hiding in their dens until spring. No crops, no meat, in the end, anything becomes fair game?"

"What is to follow?" David repeated urgently.

"It starts simply enough," Locarnos continued relentlessly. "First the farm animals are culled in order to stave off the inevitable. The grain set aside for feeding them is used to make something edible for people, once the meat is gone. Then it becomes non-game animals. Horses and family pets are usually next, followed by the rodents, and once they have been consumed?" He smiled coldly and leaned closer to David, as if relishing the image in his mind. "Then, the real carnage begins. The old and infirm are the first ones to die. After that?" He shrugged. His eyes filled with a manic light. "Have you ever seen a mother, gnawing the bones of her own child? A husband consuming his wife?"

"Watch it," David growled.

"It's amazing what conscience will allow when times get desperate enough," Locarnos finished. Then he stopped as if a stray thought had just entered his mind. "You are married, are you not?"

David's fingers scraped against the hard wood as his hands balled into fists.

"And did your wife not give birth a few short months ago?" Locarnos added, grinning hungrily.

David's fist slammed into Locarnos's jaw with such force that the man went flying up off the stool and landed in a heap against the wall.

Locarnos shook the momentary daze out of his head and then touched his finger to the corner of his mouth, seeing the blood on his fingertips. He nodded understandingly.

"Very good," He nodded. "You waited longer than most. You have great control, for one of your kind."

He got to his feet and moved, a little unsteadily, back to his seat. "Others would have struck me at the very thought of starvation."

"What about this imminent attack?" David asked as he fought to regain control of his rage.

"Oh," Locarnos smiled. "That was it."

"One creature?' David asked, disbelieving the statement out of hand.

Locarnos shrugged and his eyes filled with the same malicious light. "Have you ever seen the results of a plague, David?"

The prisoner didn't need to elaborate. That understanding came instantly.

"He was the source," He said. "Now we have four more tomorrow. The next night it could be ten, and after that?"

"Epidemic," Locarnos put the final brushstroke on the picture. "My people do not need to attack you outright. Your own sense of compassion and hope will do the work for us. You will sit here and try to help the wounded from tonight, regardless of what they might become, because there is always the chance I could be lying. Their humanity would not permit it in any event."

Locarnos shifted comfortably on the stool and seemed contemplative for a moment.

"If I were to tell you that I have not lied to you, nor will I lie at any point in our time together, what would that do to your sense of humanity?"

"It depends," David countered. "I believe a lie of omission is just bad as outright deceit."

"I have omitted nothing, David," Locarnos replied easily. "You have asked me where the supplies from the caravan are hidden, and I have told you that I will give you that information in due time. As I said, I have not, nor will I lie to you. Everything I say to you will be the absolute truth."

"Just not necessarily in the order I want," David nodded.

Locarnos smiled and nodded his head. "You begin to understand. Good."

"Fine," David said, switching gears. "Let's get a little background, then. Where does your kind come from?"

Locarnos shrugged. "We have existed for centuries. Our homes are where we are born. Beyond that, we keep no history. No tales of our past, or our origins. We simply are. My home country is in the region of the town you know as Tripolis. That is my ancestral home. Where my kind dwelt before then, who can say?"

"Obviously, not you?" David replied.

"Not with any certainty," Locarnos answered. "And since you consider a lie of omission to be a lie, then I will not lie."

More games, David thought. "You enjoy all this, don't you?"

"I find it interesting, yes," Locarnos replied. "It's fascinating to watch your people in these situations. Sometimes they are brutally ignorant, while others, like you, are more patient. Once all is played out, however, the end is always the same. Your kind perishes."

"So, you went back to Tripolis for what?" David asked. "A homecoming, or an all you can eat buffet?"

"Neither," Locarnos replied icily. "It was merely a settlement between where we were and where we are now."

"You said the Amazons in that region were amazing?" David asked. "So, does that mean they fought well, up to the bitter end? Then you had a little fun with their queen before you finished her off?"

"I never said we fought them," Locarnos replied steadily. "We merely paused to observe for a time."

"Why not take them out, or Tripolis for that matter?" David asked.

Locarnos looked at David studiously for a moment, and then he nodded. "Are you not married to an Amazon? An Amazon Queen, if memory serves?"

"What of it?" David asked, now on the defensive.

Locarnos gave David a genuinely apologetic look. "I fear our time is over, for the moment. I will speak only to the Amazon Queen."

"And if she refuses?" David asked.

"Then, I fear that your people are in for a long and unpleasant winter, David." Locarnos replied. Then he added quickly. "Ask her to tell you about the Garou. That might persuade her to speak with me? If she truly was an Amazon Queen, she would have been given secret knowledge about us?"

"A friend of mine said something earlier about a cat playing with a mouse," David smiled as he rose. "Kind of like these games that you're playing now, with me? Where I come from, we have stories about a big blue cat and a little brown mouse. This cat constantly hunted this mouse. He came up with countless devious ways to trap it and kill it, but the mouse always seemed to win in the end?" David knocked once on the door. "Talk to you later, Crambone."


	3. Chapter 3

**Contagion**

When David entered the house, late in the evening, he found all ominously quiet. The fire in the hearth had burned down to glowing embers and all the candles were blown out.

Quietly, David went to the bedroom and found Gabrielle and Xena asleep on the bed.

He moved to Gabrielle's side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Gabrielle's eyes snapped open in momentary fright, and then she blinked.

"Hi," she whispered groggily.

"Hey," David smiled. "You still mad at me?"

Gabrielle shook her head and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "No, not really. I'm too tired to be angry right now."

"I'm sorry," David said sincerely. "But I need your help. The guy we caught wants to talk to you."

Gabrielle yawned and then frowned. "Why me?"

"That's a long story," David admitted. "I could fill you in on the way back to town?"

"What about Xena?"

David shrugged. "We could drop her off at Lila's place for the rest of the night?"

David looked past his wife at the tiny figure sleeping under the blanket. He remembered Locarnos's description of mothers and infants during winter famine and a shudder ran up his spine.

"Are you alright?" Gabrielle asked, seeing his expression.

"Yeah," David replied quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Will you come and take a look at this clown?"

"I don't see why I should be the one to talk to him?" Gabrielle asked.

David sighed. "He told me to ask you about something called the Garou. He said, as an Amazon Queen, you would understand?" His voice faded as he saw the haunted expression appear on Gabrielle's face. Instantly, her sleepiness evaporated and she got out of the bed, rummaging about for clothing.

"Get Xena ready." She said urgently.

Locarnos had told David to drop the name if she was unwilling to come, but he hadn't expected the anxious response that he was seeing.

Quickly, he fetched a couple more small blankets. Xena made a few noises as her father gently lifted her from the bed and wrapped her comfortably, to protect her from the chill evening. Her blue eyes opened and she looked up at David in surprise.

"Hey pretty girl," David smiled down at her. "Go on back to sleep now. Everything's okay."

The tiny eyes fixed on him for a few seconds more, and then Xena yawned and drifted back into soft, quiet dreams.

Gabrielle settled on her simple Amazon garb. Halter, skirt, boots and the thick deerskin coat.

David was surprised when she took her sais out of the drawer and slid them into their usual places, within her boots.

Next, she grabbed her favorite traveling bag and loaded some supplies for the baby.

"Okay," she said at last, shrugging uncomfortably in her halter. "Let's go."

David saw her adjust the garment a second time and frown, mildly frustrated.

"Problem?" he asked knowingly, a smile forming on his lips.

Gabrielle was suddenly a bit self conscious. "No, not really. I just don't remember it fitting this tightly before," she said quickly.

David's grin widened as he followed her to the door.

Before they reached it, however, David paused.

"Hang on a second!" he said quickly. He handed the sleeping baby to Gabrielle. "I got an idea." He ducked back into the bedroom

David and Gabrielle arrived at the town jail a short while later. Lila and Beltanus had been more than happy to have their niece spend the remainder of the night, though Xena was most unhappy about being separated from her parents.

"Just remember," David was saying as they entered the building. "He's going to try and get into your head and mess with you. Watch out."

Gabrielle nodded. They stopped at the thick oak door and peered in through the tiny window.

Locarnos sat where he had been left, upon the stool, with his head down on the table, as if asleep.

Gabrielle studied his slim, ragged appearance and smiled grimly.

"What?" David whispered. "You've got that look?"

"If he is one of the Garou," Gabrielle replied, pointing at Locarnos. "Then he's the first one I've ever met."

David could almost see the eager curiosity in Gabrielle's eyes.

"Just be careful," David whispered emphatically. He opened the door and the two of them entered the cramped chamber.

David stood next to the door while Gabrielle seated herself on the small stool across from the prisoner.

Locarnos made no move, even though the two of them made enough noise to announce their presence.

After a few moments, Gabrielle looked up at David, her eyebrow rising slightly. David merely shrugged in response. Gabrielle cleared her throat loudly.

Finally, Locarnos looked up at her, smiled and then looked at David.

His eyes narrowed slightly and then returned to stare into Gabrielle's face.

"Queen Gabrielle?" he asked politely.

Gabrielle nodded.

"Excellent," Locarnos smiled. "It's most generous of you to take the time to see a lowly prisoner."

Again, Gabrielle remained silent, merely shrugging slightly to acknowledge the comment.

Locarnos paused, seeming to be a bit unsure about how to proceed.  
"I understand that you recently had a child," He finally offered. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Gabrielle replied calmly.

Again, an uneasy silence fell upon the tiny room. Locarnos looked at David who was watching Gabrielle with equal curiosity.

By nature, Gabrielle was a communicator. She enjoyed talking. Indeed, she would occasionally get herself into trouble because she was known to talk too much. This stony silence was completely out of character for her.

Locarnos shifted in his seat. It was the first time duringhis incarcerationthat he actually looked uncomfortable.

"I assume you have questions for me?" He finally asked.

Gabrielle considered for a moment and then shook her head. "No."

"No?" Locarnos replied, his face lightening to an expression of mild amusement. "I would have thought-"

Gabrielle cut him off. "You thought wrong. This man said you wanted to speak to me, so?"

"You may as well call him your husband," Locarnos cut her off this time. "Since I already know that he is."

Gabrielle looked back at David, who merely shrugged his shoulders. "He's very well informed."

"Ah," Gabrielle nodded, turning back to the prisoner. She folded her hands before her and waited.

Locarnos matched her stare and then sighed. "I do wish to speak with you, Amazon Queen," he finally admitted. Then he looked pointedly at David. "Alone."

"Not going to happen, pal," David said evenly.

"Then I fear you have wasted both your time, and mine," Locarnos replied, looking at Gabrielle.

"It's okay," Gabrielle said suddenly.

"Hell it is," David replied. "I'm not leaving you alone in here with him!"

Gabrielle looked back at her husband. "It's okay."

"Scuse me?" David asked, not sure he had heard her correctly.

"I'll be fine," Gabrielle said. Her eyes flicked to the cell door.

"You sure?" David asked.

Gabrielle nodded.

Clearly displeased, David moved to the door and knocked.

"I'll be just out here," he said to Locarnos. "If you do anything – try anything – you'll be in a world of hurt, got it?"

Locarnos merely smiled. "Run along now," he mocked.

Gabrielle heard David growl as he withdrew. She smiled grimly.

"One thing that you should have learned," she said. "Is that provoking my husband could get you hurt."

"I wonder what could get me killed?" Locarnos asked, stroking his chin. He blinked and looked back at Gabrielle. "Sorry, just wondering."

Gabrielle met his gaze easily.

"It would seem that we have a problem," Locarnos said quietly. "The Garou and the Ahia have enjoyed peace for ages uncounted. You know our secrets, and we know yours. No Garou has harmed an Ahia for over three centuries now. We do not encroach upon your lands and you do not hinder our works."

"I remember what Melosa told me," Gabrielle replied.

"Yet, here you are, an Amazon Queen, not residing in the protected lands, and now, caught in the middle of our ways. Under these circumstances, I am well within my rights to kill you."

"Really?" Gabrielle replied.

Locarnos shrugged. "Yes."

Gabrielle folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow.

Locarnos's eyes lit with predatory intensity and he leaned forward over the table.

"I could break these bonds and rip your pretty head off long before they could open that door and save you." He said in a low, menacing voice.

"Then why don't you?" Gabrielle responded coolly.

Locarnos's eyes never left hers as he settled back again, his bound hands resting on his lap.

"It's not the right time." He said.

The two remained motionless, eyes locked as they fought a subtle duel of wills. Even the air seemed to go still. The soft sounds of the cell fell silent as they stared at one another.

Suddenly, Locarnos's hands separated, the tough leather thong about his wrists, snapping audibly. The table clattered against the far wall, and the prisoner charged forward, his fingers wrapped around Gabrielle's throat as he pushed her against the wall. With his other hand, he grasped the handle to the door and held it fast as voices cried in alarm beyond the small window. The door shook impotently as David and the guard pulled against Locarnos's strength.

Gabrielle's eyes were wide with shock as she struggled against his grasp. His fingers closed about her neck with iron strength. His eyes were black, impassive, completely devoid of humanity.

Then he smiled in a way that made Gabrielle hope he would finish her quickly. There was something in it that spoke of anticipation. He gave her throat one more little squeeze. It was a slight increase in pressure, not enough to snap her neck and kill her, just enough to emphasize that he could. His left hand released the handle on the door and David came boiling into the room. He grasped the man's shoulders and flung him against the wall with a bellow of rage.

Locarnos bounced against the cold, unyielding stone and fell to the floor.

"You messed up," David growled. His entire being shook with barely restrained rage. "You messed up big!"

Behind him, Gabrielle croaked as she tried to speak. The guard ushered her quickly out of the cell.

David stepped back and then kicked viciously into Locarnos's middle, lifting the man from the ground with a grunt of surprise.

Locarnos rolled away from the blow, ending up face first in the wall. Then he rolled back over, his arms wrapped about his middle as he fought to get air back into his lungs.

David stepped over the fallen man and yanked him to his feet.

"No more games!" He snarled. "Tell me where those supplies are, or I will hurt you so bad you'll think it's a career!"

Locarnos looked up at him and actually smiled. "No more games?" he asked, as if he were waiting to be granted permission. "Are you sure you want to go that far?"

David's forearm came up in a vicious blow that sent Locarnos up off the ground.

As he floated through the air, a hideous transformation occurred. His limbs covered with hair and his face transformed into a fierce, dog like muzzle. His dark eyes went yellow. He landed in a crouch, snarling and snapping with sharp yellow teeth.

"Oh shit," David thought as he readied himself for the attack.

Locarnos fixed his rabid eyes on David and his sharp claws scraped the stones of the floor. With a roar, he leapt for David's throat.

There was a whoosh of pseudo motion, and a sound, like a saw blade. Something shiny burst through the oak door and caught Locarnos in the torso as he sailed towards his prey.

He let out a yelp of surprise and pain and fell to the floor. In a matter of moments, he had changed back into his human form. His eyes fixed on the door in amazement as if this was the last thing in the world he had expected.

The door opened, revealing Gabrielle, standing there with eyes as cold as winter seawater.

David looked down and saw Gabrielle's chakram protruding from the prisoner's chest. The circular weapon had sunk half way in and was bathed in dark blood.

He was in shock as he saw the slight cuts on either side of the small window in the door where the weapon had sawed its way through.

"Nice shot," he gasped without thinking.

Gabrielle stepped slowly over to the stricken form of Locarnos and knelt down.

"Want to tell me where our things are now?" she asked coldly.

Locarnos laughed a gurgling laugh as blood burst from his mouth.

"Well played, Amazon," he choked. His misshapen fingers clutched at the weapon as he tried to remove it. "Well played."

"My husband has a saying." Gabrielle smiled coldly. "Don't fuck with my family!"

The blood frothed in the dying man's mouth as he laughed.

"The abandoned retreats in the northern hills, Amazon," Locarnos gurgled. "Your food and supplies are there." His eyes fixed on her fiercely. "Retrieve them if you can! I will see you again!"

"I doubt it," Gabrielle hissed.

Locarnos convulsed suddenly and he looked up at Gabrielle in surprise.

"That weapon was given by Ares," Gabrielle explained. "It is one of a few weapons that can really kill your kind. It's killed Gods!"

In desperation, Locarnos lashed out at Gabrielle with one clawed hand. Gabrielle jumped back out of his reach and folded her arms across her chest.

"You feel that, Locarnos?" She taunted him with uncharacteristic amusement. "That's true death touching you. You won't ever harm another soul again!"

David watched his wife and felt a chill creep up his spine. He had never seen this side of her before. He hadn't even known she could be this ruthless.

Locarnos gave one more shudder, his eyes rolled back and the whites went dim.

Gabrielle looked down at the motionless figure for a moment before stepping out the door and returning with David's katana. She drew the blade, handing the scabbard to her husband, and stepped alongside the body.

With one swift slice, she severed the head from the body.

"Whoa!" David cried in revulsion.

She handed the bloody weapon to David and then freed her chakram.

Turning to the guard, her eyes cold and merciless, she indicated the corpse.

"Wrap him in cloth, take him out and burn him," she instructed. She stepped past David on her way out of the cell.

"Come on."

Still in shock, David followed mutely behind her.

Gabrielle stopped at the nearby well and drew a large pail of water, pouring it over the chakram to clean away the blood. Then she reached into her bag and began to oil it.

"What the hell was all that?" David finally managed to ask. The question came out sounding more severe than he had intended, and she glared in his direction.

"You think you're the only one serious about protecting our home?" She shot back.

David held up a hand. "Whoa there," he said more gently. He sat down next to her and cleaned the blood from the katana before sliding it back into its sheath. "It was a question?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath, the air coming out from between her lips in a misty sigh.

"Sorry," she acknowledged. She shivered suddenly in the chill night.

David drew the end of the sword sheath in the dirt at his feet, making slow circular motions while Gabrielle finished cleaning her weapon.

She separated the chakram into two curved blades and continued cleaning it carefully.

"Thanks for saving my ass," he said softly. A smile pulled at his lips and he looked sidelong at her. "Don't fuck with my family?" He finished with an amused grin. "Tell me you won't teach our daughter to talk like that?"

Gabrielle's stoic expression faded into something lighter. She shrugged, and her own smile began to reassert itself.

"What?" She asked.

David shook his head in appreciation, "I've just never seen you get so intense before?" His dark eyes looked at her thoughtfully. "Now I see you kicking ass and talking like a truck driver? Where did that come from?"

Gabrielle's eyes never left her task as she oiled the individual blades. "He made me angry."

"Well," David replied. "Here's hoping you never get that angry at me, babe?"

Gabrielle looked at him intensely for a moment. "Then quit getting into trouble."

She held the two halves of the chakram up between them and snapped them back together for emphasis.

David caught the hint and smiled. "Yes ma'am."

An orange light flared off to one side, and the two of them saw the wrapped corpse behind the jail house, burning as the two guards assigned to the task stepped away.

Suddenly, the flames erupted in a blue/green burst and the body seemed to dissolve to nothing in a matter of moments.

From the nearby hills, the sounds of mournful howling could be heard rising towards the night sky.

"They know," David said, ignoring the chill in his blood. He looked over at Gabrielle inquisitively. "So, what? We wait till daylight and go get our stuff?"

"Daylight?" Gabrielle asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Daylight." David repeated. "Werewolves only change at night, during a full moon, right?"

Gabrielle looked at him as if he had gone momentarily mad. "Where in the world did you hear that?"

"That's what all the legends say," David replied. "A person with lycanthropy changes into the shape of a wolf at the full moon?"

"Lycano-what?" Gabrielle asked. "David, have you looked at the moon lately?"

David looked up into the sky and saw that the moon, though brilliant, was only three quarters full and waning.

His eyes drifted to the smoldering ashes behind the jailhouse and then back up at the sky.

"Okay?" he muttered. "This is a bit awkward."

He puzzled over this new variable and then looked at her helplessly.

"I give up." He admitted. "Educate me."

Gabrielle's grim demeanor fell away and she smiled.

"What?" she asked playfully. "You don't know about this? I thought you knew everything?"

David's gaze went dark.

"Hang on a minute," Gabrielle said, sitting still and taking a few soft breaths. "I just want to relish this moment. Is this what it feels like to be you all the time?" She smiled. "Wow, this is incredible. I mean, it's like – "

"Gab!" David said sharply, though his own smile washed away any severity the tone conveyed.

"Okay, okay," Gabrielle laughed. She paused for a moment and collected her thoughts.

"For a very long time, the Garou and the Ahia have had an uneasy truce."

"Who?" David asked.

"The Amazons and the Werewolves, as you call them," Gabrielle explained. "Ahia is the ancient name of the Amazons. Long before we took the name 'Amazon', we were called the Ahia."

"And the Werewolves were called the Garou," David nodded.

"They've always been known as the Garou," Gabrielle said. "I've never heard the term 'werewolf' before?"

David shrugged and Gabrielle continued.

"I don't know the actual history," She confessed. "But Queen Melosa explained that the Garou had protected the Amazons back when we weren't strong enough or organized enough to protect ourselves. In return, we aided them as we could. Healing their wounded or sheltering them when they were being hunted. How the arrangement came to be, I don't know, but both sides have honored it up until tonight."

"So, what are they?" David asked.

"Skin changers," Gabrielle replied. "Or at least, that's what the legends say. They were priests who were granted the ability to change their skins."

"Skin changers?" David asked dubiously. "You're telling me that these boys were part of the clergy?"

Gabrielle nodded. "They had the ability to don the skin of a wolf or bear and become that animal."

David held up a hand to forestall her. "This might be a small point, but Locarnos didn't have an animal skin around when he changed?"

"I know," Gabrielle nodded. "That's the part that's confusing me."

"Neither did the other one?" David added.

"The survivor you told me about?" Gabrielle confirmed.

David nodded. "Something's changed, hasn't it?"

"Seems that way," Gabrielle agreed. "The Garou were violent, but reclusive. They stayed away from people. The only things they hunted were food animals. There are stories of the Garou finding game for Amazons in the longest winters? I don't understand this?" She looked at David inquisitively. "And why resort to these tactics? Believe me; the Garou could overrun Poditia easily. They wouldn't need all these games?"

David thought for a moment and sighed. "We seem to have a lot of questions. I think we should try and find some answers?"

He looked at Gabrielle. "What do you think?"

"Well," Gabrielle offered. "We could take a couple of troops with us and try and get our stuff? Maybe we'll find some of the answers on the way?"

David nodded and glanced past Gabrielle's shoulder. Standing nearby was the soldier that had been wounded in the attack earlier. His left arm was bandaged and hung in a sling. He stood with several of his comrades, talking about the attack, his good hand moving as he described the events.

Instantly, David recalled Locarnos's hints about an epidemic and he felt his blood run chill.

"What's the matter?" Gabrielle asked. She looked where her husband was and saw the men standing under a torch, talking.

"Hopefully nothing," David replied. He rose and walked over to the men.

"Hi guys," he said kindly. He looked at the wounded man. "Can I have a word with you?"

The wounded soldier nodded, his curiosity aroused.

"What's your name?" David asked as he led the man away from his comrades.

"Kastius," The soldier replied.

"Kastius," David repeated, placing his hand on the young man's shoulder. "I need to ask you a big favor?" He began leading the soldier up towards the jailhouse.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Kastius asked dutifully.

David looked down into the young man's clear eyes and sighed inwardly. Kastius was a man, slender and strong, about twenty years of age, with thick curly blondish hair and a hint of whiskers at his chin. His face was well defined and handsome, and his eyes were still full of the eager light of a man dedicated to serving others.

He winced inwardly. "I don't want to ask you to do this," he said. "But I can't take any chances."

He felt Gabrielle step up next to him, her eyes searching his face. She immediately knew something was wrong.

"What's going on?" She asked.

David looked at Kastius and nodded. "I'm asking you to volunteer, Kastius, but you really don't have a choice. I need you to spend a couple of days in jail?"

The eager expression on the young soldiers face gave way to confusion. "I don't understand sir?"

"You got any family, Kastius?" David asked.

"My wife, Ami, and I are expecting our first child any day now?" Kastius replied, still confused.

"And would you do anything you could to protect them?" David asked.

"Of course," Kastius replied without hesitation.

"David?" Gabrielle asked. "What's going on?"

David closed his eyes and sighed. "Kas, there's a chance that your wound is infected."

"The surgeon said it was a clean wound?" Kastius replied nervously.

"That's not what I mean," David said quickly. "I mean, there's a chance that you might – change."

Dawning appeared on the young soldiers face, followed by dread.

"You mean, like the survivor from the caravan?"

David nodded. "I'm afraid so."

To his credit, Kastius handled the revelation remarkably well.

"I think I'm going to be ill," he choked as his color paled.

Gabrielle and David helped him to a nearby bench and let him sit as he absorbed the information.

After a few moments he swallowed and looked up at David expectantly. "Okay? What do you want me to do?"

"We just need you to spend a couple nights in jail," David replied evenly. "Right now, you're the only one to receive a wound in the attack and survive?"

Kastius laughed nervously. "Couple of nights in a cell? Wouldn't be the first time."

The young man was obviously terrified, but he covered the anxiety better than most. David put a hand on his shoulder and gently led him up to the jailhouse.

Lieutenant Martus came out to greet them.

"What's the problem?" He asked.

"Sir," Kastius said before David could explain. "I fear that I may be a danger to the village. I request that I be confined immediately."

David nodded in agreement.

Martus looked at them and then turned to another of his men.

"Clean up a cell and put in new bedding, a chair and table." The guard nodded and vanished within the building.

"I may have to confine you," he said. "But you can at least be comfortable?"

Kastius nodded. "Thank you, sir."

The cell was made ready, and Kastius stepped within, staring out the small window in the door as it closed before him.

"I'm sorry about this," David said.

Kastius managed a nervous smile. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

David smiled and nodded.

"Do something for me!" Kastius said quickly.

"Name it."

"Let Ami know what's happening," Kastius requested. "I don't want her to worry."

"I'll take care of it myself," David nodded again. "You want anything? Drink? Food?"

Kastius smiled. "Somehow, I'm not that hungry."

David patted the door and turned away. After a quick explanation to the Lieutenant, he went in search of Kastius's small home within the village and delivered the news to his young wife. Like her husband, she put on a brave front, but it cracked eventually and she fell into tears.

Once Ami had calmed down, David met up with Gabrielle at Beltanus's little tavern. David's brother-in-law met him at the door and ushered him inside. Gabrielle sat at one of the tables, holding Xena in her arms, while Lila sat nearby, holding a quiet conversation with her.

"Got any of the rocket fuel that Alia sent to you a few months back?" David asked wearily.

"The Amazon Voodoo Juice?" Beltanus replied with a smile. He stepped behind the bar and lifted a glass bottle, setting it and a small cup on the bar.

"Help yourself," he offered.

David took the bottle and the cup and went to sit next to his wife. He looked down at his daughter as she lay nestled against Gabrielle's chest, feeding contentedly.

"I keep thinking about Kastius," he finally admitted.

"Don't," Gabrielle said quickly.

"Can't help it," David replied, pouring himself a drink. He sipped the liquor thoughtfully, feeling the familiar warm burn move down his throat. "You know we're walking into a fight tomorrow?" he said after a few minutes.

Gabrielle looked up at him and nodded. "I know."

"We both don't have to go?" David suggested, already knowing the response.

"Fine," Gabrielle replied easily. "You stay here with the baby, and I'll lead the party."

She looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah, right," David chuckled. "When pigs fly."

He looked up to see Beltanus coming in from the rear of the building, which served as he and Lila's home. He held a large bundle of blankets in his arms.

"You know you aren't going back out to the farm tonight," he offered. "Not with those monsters about." He gave an apologetic shrug.

"Sorry there isn't a bed for you," he continued. "But you're welcome to the floor."

"Hold that thought," David said with a smile. He rose and got a chair for Gabrielle. Then he took several of the benches and lined them up next to each other in the corner near the small hearth.

Once done, the benches made a sleeping pallet wide enough for the two of them.

Lila went and got the large basket that served as Xena's crib, setting it on a nearby table.

Beltanus smiled and nodded. "Well, we'll leave you to it, then. Just wake us in the morning?"

Gabrielle nodded. And bid them goodnight.

David sat down at one of the smaller tables and went back to sipping on his drink.

Gabrielle surveyed the makeshift bed and nodded in approval. "I love the way you think on your feet," she said with a smile.

"What?" David asked as he came out of his reverie.

Gabrielle pointed at the bed and then sat down across from him at the small table.

"Come on," she said knowingly. "You have that look. What are you thinking about?"

"Something Locarnos said," David answered. "He seemed to relish the idea of watching all of us starve and turn on each other. It was almost as if he were looking forward to it?"

"That's pretty sick, David." Gabrielle replied.

"Yes," David agreed. "He was also looking forward to watching the wounded turn and ravage the village."

"So," Gabrielle answered. "He was a twisted man with some sick ideas about entertainment."

"Then why tell us what we wanted to know?" David asked suddenly. "Why wait until he's dying to finally let us have what we want? It was pretty obvious that he was enjoying our angst, right?"

"Yeah?" Gabrielle answered.

"He also said that he looked forward to seeing us again, when we went to get the stuff," David continued.

"That was before he knew he was actually dying," Gabrielle replied. "He was probably assuming that we would toss his body in a shallow grave – " she stopped as realization came to her.

"He was lying?" Gabrielle asked.

"Why not?" David replied. "Tell me, how long would it take to get to where he was indicating?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "A few hours."

"With wagons?"

"Okay, a little bit longer," Gabrielle conceded.

"Figure we'd have to search to find the stuff, load it and bring it back here," David continued. "How long, if we only grab the essentials?"

"I see where you're going with this," Gabrielle nodded. "A trap?"

"A trap," David nodded. "Whether the stuff is actually there or not doesn't matter, because we'd be walking into a trap. Even if someone survived the attack, they wouldn't be able to get anything of value back here? If they were infected and went berserk?"

Gabrielle shuddered. "I hate it when you think like this."

"Ah," David grinned. "You're forgetting the most encouraging part."

"And that is?" Gabrielle replied. She didn't see anything positive in this line of reasoning.

"The first step in avoiding a trap," David said. "Is knowing about it."

"You have an idea?" Gabrielle asked expectantly. "I know that look, honey."

"I'm working on it," David replied with a sigh. His eyes roamed about the room, searching for inspiration. They fell on the makeshift bed that he had cobbled together and stayed there. For a few moments, he didn't know why, and then the idea came to him.

Gabrielle saw that familiar smile grow, and she felt hope grow in her at the same time.

She looked at the bed and then back at David.

"You can't be thinking about that!" She said.

"I always think about that, honey," David grinned. "I'm a guy and you're gorgeous, after all. But I'm not thinking about that at this particular moment."

He slammed the rest of his drink and jumped to his feet. "I need to talk to the boss!" He said quickly as he made for the door. "Be back in a bit!"

"But, what are you," Gabrielle started but it was too late. David was gone.

She looked back at the bed and tried to figure out what David had come up with, to no avail.

Sighing, she stared at the bottle of liquor and the empty cup. Her anxiety got the better of her and she poured a cup full and slammed it down, feeling the fire burn through her throat. It was as though her body temperature had risen a few degrees, and several of her muscle groups seemed to convulse in protest as she stood up and shook her head.

"Ugh!" she groaned hoarsely. "What in the world did I do that for?"

"Hey!" David's head poked back in just as she finished regaining control of herself.

He immediately saw the flush in her cheeks and the empty cup in her hand and he smiled.

"Knocks you on your ass, don't it?" he asked, smiling.

"What?" Gabrielle replied.

"Silver hurts the Garou, right?"

"Yes, but how did you know that?" She asked.

"Thank you!" David vanished again.

Gabrielle looked at the vacant space where her husband had stood and briefly contemplated another draught of the liquor, suddenly understanding why she had taken the first drink to begin with.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Pack and The Priest**

As the sun began climbing over the eastern hills, the next morning, two covered wagons bounced out of Poditia with four people. David and Gabrielle rode on the lead wagon, while two other village militia drove the second one.

It was relatively easy going until they reached the edge of the forest. At that point, the old road had deteriorated to a rough, uneven stone path that slowed their progress and bounced them uncomfortably as they made the gentle ascent towards the abandoned homes.

"What were these things, anyway?" David asked.

"Back when I was a kid," Gabrielle explained. "Quite a few people lived up here, working in the forest and providing lumber for the village. Unfortunately, when the warlords began coming into the area, it was impossible to defend those homes, so they were abandoned. I don't think anyone's lived up this far away from the village in generations? I used to play up here when I was younger, though I never admitted it to my parents." She smiled at that memory.

They met no enemies on the way up, but the poor roads hindered their arrival till mid day. The first sign of the old homesteads were a series of old, broken stone foundations almost completely overgrown by foliage. At the top of a small rise, the angle of the hill increased sharply, providing a back stop for the rest of the homes. They all sat in a long row, all in various states of decay. Empty doorways and windows stared out oat them, some with sunlight behind them, indicating collapsed ceilings. Others were nothing more than mere shattered walls, blown down over time, with foliage growing behind them.

In spite of the desolation, there were signs of recent activity. A worn path extended from what used to be a main walkway, up into a series of ruined dwellings at the far end of the lane.

The area was too narrow for the carts to pass. Instead, David turned the wagon around in a large, semi clear area. The other wagon lurched to a stop beside theirs.

"Sit tight," David instructed them. "We'll check this out."

"Yes, sir," the driver replied with obvious relief.

David and Gabrielle moved cautiously down the worn path, David with his katana in his hand, while Gabrielle held the two halves of her chakram like knives.

Darkened doorways gaped at them from either side, and barren windows stared back at them like portions of night. All through the underbrush they heard the scurrying of tiny animals as they retreated from this new intrusion.

"I can feel my hair curling," David said quietly.

Gabrielle nodded absently. "They're here…somewhere."

In the last two homes on the lane, they found the missing supplies.

In spite of the danger, relief flooded over them.

"Hey!" David called to the other two soldiers. "It's here! Come on, let's move this stuff out!"

The two men jogged down the narrow lane to them. They each grabbed a load of the basics, food and clothing primarily, and made their way back towards the wagons. David's eyes constantly scanned their surroundings. If there was ever a better time to ambush them, it was when they were encumbered by their burdens.

As they reached the end of the lane, a chorus of howls and barking broke out before them. From the forest, opposite the wagons, at least a dozen dog shapes bounded into view and put themselves between the wagons and their passengers.

David let the supplies drop and drew his weapon. The others did likewise.

Some of the wolves morphed into their half human shape, while the central one, a large gray/white beast, transformed into a completely human figure, tall and thin, with pale skin and wiry muscle. He stared at them with dark, ferocious eyes.

The leader smiled and then an icy laugh burst from him. Once it fell to silence, he eyed them for only a moment.

"Kill them," was all he said.

The wolves moved forward.

In that moment, David whistled a shrill, reverberating call that echoed through the trees.

The tarps covering the wagons were thrown back, and the dozen men within rose with bows drawn. Fresh silver arrowheads shone in the sunlight.

"Well, well," David said with a grin. "Seems we have a bit of a standoff here?"

One of the wolves broke for the edge of the clearing, only to be pierced through the heart by one of the arrows. It let out a yelp and fell dead, changing back into the shape of a young woman.

The archer who had shot her had a second arrow notched and bent before anyone could react.

"So?" David asked, looking at the dumbfounded leader. "What do we do now?"

The wolves were so enraged that several of them were literally foaming at the mouth.

One of the hybrid creatures suddenly launched itself at David with a bloodthirsty howl. A single arrow pierced its back. At the same moment, David slid sideways, cutting the creatures hands off, just above the wrists. In the same move, he brought the enchanted blade up in a vicious cut, laying open the creature's belly. Black blood sprayed everywhere, as Gabrielle and the other two soldiers broke away to either side in order to avoid the attack. The pieces of the corpse landed with a sickening thud behind David, twitched a few times and lay still.

That was enough for the leader of this pack. He transformed back into wolf shape and let out a howl. In one body, the pack charged at David and his companions.

Six of the creatures fell with arrows in their spines before they had taken a few steps, the rest, five creatures in all, came charging at them.

"Spread!" David shouted. He dove forward and rolled beneath one of the flying creatures, his weapon slashing upwards and catching a part of the wolf's hindquarters. It landed unsteadily and turned, its yellow eyes fixing on David.

David rolled back to his feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught another flurry of movement.

"Watch the flank!" he shouted.

Six more of the creatures had been waiting in ambush, and came at the archers from the side.

Three of them fell dead from arrows. The rest bowled into the wagons, latching on to anything they could. The forest was filled with screams and howls.

David finished off his latest opponent with a thrust into the wolf's mouth as it charged again. He cleared the blade and looked about. The entire, organized counter ambush had deteriorated into a brawl.

"Not good!" David groaned as he searched for Gabrielle.

Six of the twelve archers that had been concealed in the wagons were down, their bodies spread out about the conveyances in a spattering of blood and gore. The remaining ones were fending off the fresh assault. The two escorts that had accompanied Gabrielle and David were also down, their killers ravening the corpses in a frenzy of blood lust.

Gabrielle fought desperately to keep her current attacker at bay. Unfortunately, as effective as the chakram was in its separated state, it still required that her opponent get close enough for knife fighting.

David hacked at another attacker and ran to assist his wife. He leapt through the air with a bellow of rage and came down, the point of his weapon punching through the hide of her attacker, right between the shoulder blades. There was a startled yelp and then the figure lay still, returning to its human form.

"Hi!" David said breathlessly as he searched for another target.

"Hi," Gabrielle replied, snapping the two halves of the weapon back together. "Don't go anywhere!" She let the weapon fly. It sliced through the throat of another wolf before bouncing off a rock and returning to her outstretched hand. She caught it neatly and separated it again.

"Thank you," She said, and she moved to the next opponent. She charged in fury as another wolf. Just before she met the creature, something else struck from the side, knocking her oncoming opponent away.

More shapes leapt into the battle, striking at the attackers with the same, predatory ferocity. Howls and yammering echoed all around them as sleek, powerful gray shapes fell upon the darker furred attackers in a frenzy of their own.

"What the hell?" David asked as he ran to Gabrielle's side.

At the crest of the hill, a single massive white shape stood looking down at the battle with sharp, dark eyes.

Once all the attackers had fallen, it let out a howl and the gray shapes withdrew to the perimeter and watched the survivors intently.

David and Gabrielle moved to stand with the rest of theremaining soldiers. They all had fresh arrows notched and bows bent.

The white wolf trotted into the clearing, keeping a respectful distance from the archers. He sat down on his haunches and looked at them inquisitively, cocking his head to one side. Then his dark eyes fixed on Gabrielle.

"What's going on?" David asked, his weapon out and ready.

"I don't know," Gabrielle replied, watching the white beast intently. It simply stared back at her, as if contemplating what she was. Then it stood up quickly.

In one body, the archers and David all twitched a little tighter.

The white wolf was massive, covered in thick snowy fur and solidly built.

It bowed its head and then, it seemed that human hands and legs sprouted from behind the fur.

The creature rose on its two feet. When the head rose, the eyes were vacant, and the top of the head rested upon the head of a tall, elderly man with dark eyes.

His face was the only thing that belied his advanced years. Physically, he was in better shape than David, with powerful, defined muscle knotting his frame. His skin was smooth and tan, except for the face which was wrinkled from passing years.

The wolf skin he wore stretched down his back and covered him at the waist. As if it was permanently attached to his body. He held his hands out in a gesture of greeting.

"Lower your weapons," Gabrielle said quietly.

Reluctantly, David and the soldiers did so. It wasn't like they had much of a chance if this new, larger group of creatures decided to attack.

The man stepped slowly forward with smooth deliberation. His eyes focused on each surviving member with intense curiosity. He stopped before Gabrielle and touched his right hand over his heart as he bowed his head.

"Ahia," he said in a slow, deliberate and thickly accented voice. "I am Zolnik, High Priest of the Garou."

"Gabrielle, of the Northern Amazon Nation," Gabrielle replied, placing her fist over her heart in return.

"Gabrielle," Zolnik said. "I thank you for aiding us in our hunt. Long have we tracked the Diseased Ones."

"Diseased Ones?" David asked automatically.

Zolnik looked at him for a moment, and then refocused his attention on Gabrielle.

"I fear that they have harmed these protected lands," Zolnik continued. "I am compelled to beg forgiveness."

As he spoke, the remaining creatures, some twenty in all, seemed to emerge from beneath their skins, standing around the perimeter.

Gabrielle smiled and nodded, but didn't know what to say. She was still in awe of this creature – person.

"My Lord," One of the others said, stepping forward. "One of them is missing."

"Who?" Zolnik asked.

"Locarnos is not among the fallen of his pack." The second priest replied somberly.

"Then I fear the hunt must continue," Zolnik said with stoic resignation.

"Locarnos is dead," Gabrielle said softly. "By my hand."

"The hand of an Ahia?" Zolnik asked, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"He attacked me, and tried to kill my husband," Gabrielle confessed. "I had no choice."

"Such are the ways of the hunter," Zolnik said with a sigh. "Alas, my son never truly embraced the destiny of the Garou."

Gabrielle felt her heart sink in dismay. "You're son? Oh, Zolnik, I'm sorry-"

The wolf priest raised his hand to stop her.

"Such is the circle of life," Zolnik said evenly. "The hunters are not always the victors."

His eyes fell on David. "This is your mate?"

Gabrielle nodded.

Zolnik perceived David tense and ready to strike at the slightest provication.

"He has the spirit of the hunter," Zolnik said. "Even now, he stands ready to defend you." He nodded his head respectfully to David.

"Since you have aided us in our hunt, we are in your debt," Zolnik continued. "How may we satisfy that debt?"

"One of our men was injured in an attack on our village," Gabrielle replied slowly. "I'm afraid that he may become one of the Diseased Ones?"

Zolnik looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Is there a cure?" Gabrielle asked hopefully.

Zolnik turned and spoke in a strange language to one of the other members of his pack. The two stepped away and held a quiet conversation.

The second priest drew out a small pouch and handed it to Zolnik, who in turn gave it to Gabrielle.

"Mix this in boiling water and give it to any that have been harmed by Locarnos and his followers," he said simply. "As it has been, the bond between our people is still unbroken. May your hunts ever be successful."

He backed several steps away and bowed down. The eyes in the wolf headdress filled with awareness and the human form seemed to melt into the skin. Once again, Zolnik stood before them in the guise of the great white beast. The surrounding priests also resumed their animal form. With a howl, the pack vanished into the trees.

The forest fell silent.

Gabrielle held the medicine up. "Anyone else hurt?"

Everyone checked themselves over for scratches or bites. Fortunately, there were none.

"Okay," David said grimly. "Let's clean this up as best we can and load up the wagons."

Kastius paced nervously in the cell, his hands wringing, in spite of one of them being crippled.

A face appeared at the door.

"How are you feeling?" Gabrielle asked.

"Scared to death, to be honest," Kastius replied.

"Well," Gabrielle smiled broadly. "Relax, because we got the cure for you, right here. Complements of some old allies of mine."

The cell door was pulled open and Gabrielle entered, holding a steaming cup in her hand. She set the cup on the table and smiled.

Out in the hall, David nodded in agreement.

"Drink up," Gabrielle said happily. "And go home before your son is born without you."

Kastius looked down at the cup dubiously, and then he held it to his nose and sniffed. It smelled like a fragrant tea of some type, though he couldn't place the scent. With a sigh, he put the cup to his lips and drank down the contents.

When he finished, he looked at Gabrielle as if he were expecting to grow wings, or something.

"How do you feel?" David asked eagerly.

Kastius shrugged. "No different. How long before this stuff is supposed to work?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't say what-"

"Wait a minute," Kastius held up a hand. "I think I feel something?"

"What?" Gabrielle asked. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm fine," Kastius replied. "I feel fine." Suddenly, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he collapsed to the floor.

"Was that supposed to happen?" David asked urgently. He rushed to the fallen soldiers' side.

"He never said," Gabrielle replied.

David checked for a pulse. When he looked up at Gabrielle, his eyes were wide with shock.

"Gabby," He said in horror. "He's dead."

"What?" Gabrielle gasped, dropping opposite David and feeling for the man's pulse. "He can't be?"

As they watched, Kastius's body began to show signs of sickness. His flesh became covered with open leprous sores. Foamy saliva began to bubble from between his colorless lips. David and Gabrielle quickly stepped away, backing out the door.

"I don't understand!" Gabrielle cried angrily. "They said it would cure him! They told me!"

David wrapped his arm about her shoulder as grim reality settled in.

"They told us to give it to him," he said softly. "They never said what it was. They gave us poison and let our assumptions do the rest."

He felt the lump forming in his throat. It was a mixture of nausea and betrayal that sank down and settled, like lead, in the pit of his stomach.

They told us it would help him, David!" Gabrielle cried.

"Yes, they did," he finally said. "They gave him the only help they had."

END


End file.
